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(Now Closed)Mexican Restaurant and Taco Restaurant$$$$
Lower East Side, New York
The experts at Serious Eats and Village Voice recommend this place
164 Tips and reviews
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Keith McKenzieJanuary 21, 2015One of the best taco places I've found in the city, even comparable to my previous local spots in SF. Prices are right and the atmosphere is lively. Large groups can be hard to seat due to size.
Kevin EnnisJuly 31, 2013Guacamole amazing. Steak taco- a must-better than lamb & pork. Beef head & tongue--seasoned & seared to perfection! Avoid purchasing bottles of wine. 1000 times better than San Loco & cheap! $3 tacos
Angela DumadagJuly 15, 2013Can't go wrong with anything here! Margaritas are great, and so is the LA/Mexico City vibe. My go-to's are carnitas and cactus tacos and the steak quesadilla. And the tostadas & soups are amazing.
Village VoiceJune 13, 2013Take the edge off with a margarita and follow that with the carnitas- piled with slow cooked peppered pig, crispy on the edges and tender on the inside. One bite of this & the room will fade away.
Cloe BushnellJanuary 19, 2015Cheap tacos & margs. LA bar that also plays pretty in pink. What more could you ask for? No reservations but they will come get you from the bar next door when your table is ready.
diogo pauloOctober 27, 2013Really great mexican restaurant. Margaritas are great and guacamole is delicious. Lamb, pork and steak tacos are really good too.Ambience is really cool with rock and metal music.
samantha hankinsAugust 9, 2014Best taco option in lower Manhattan. Delicious and cheap. Definitely my pick over Tacombi. Lamb tacos. Lengua tacos. Guacamole. All good. Small place, great service.
The lamb taco is unusual and outstanding. I also love the spicy house salsa. Pro tip: before 10PM you can do "take out" and eat at the bar next door.
Carolina EspinosaAugust 19, 2013Went with a group of 6 people and everyone loved their meals and drinks! Cheap and good! The next day our friends were still thinking about the place and the food they ate :)
You would never think to order it, but the Cecina is a fantastic plate of salty, flavorful flank steak, chilaquiles which are essentially nachos, and beans. I order it every time.
Aira BowersMarch 26, 2014After a long time I found a place where they serve AGUA DE HORCHATA. Guacamole is so great and their tacos are absolutely delicious. And price is fair enough. :)
Honghui YuNovember 2, 2014Tacos here are super cheap and 3 will certainly fill you up. Order the carnitas - slow cooked pork that is so tender it almost melts in your mouth.
I grew up in the central valley of California I've tried nearly everything on the menu here. Its all very solid. Do yourself a favor and have the carnitas taco. Best in NYC hands down.
Era SinghFebruary 2, 2014Yummy! I got the tostado soup and chicken roja enchiladas! Both amazing. Tacos are great too. Fun atmosphere; get there early tho! No reservations
A totally solid inexpensive mexican joint. Everything I've had has been great. Definitely get some chips & guac. Enjoy the 80s movies they show on the TVs.
Fresh corn tortillas, for real? Barbacoa and Nopalitos tacos yes. Quesadilla de hongos was less a quesadilla and more of a wonderful empanada-like pocket made from corn. Can't wait to go back.
Real Cheap EatsJune 17, 2012"You won’t find battered, overwhelming fish tacos here, just simple, fresh, pan-fried tilapia topped with cabbage slaw and salsa on 6″ tortillas. It’s perfect for a mid-afternoon snack." Read more
Ben MackeyAugust 13, 2014A dive bar version of nearby Tacombi with unbelievable prices. You MUST order the pork tacos and guacamole (with free chip refills)
New York PRMarch 30, 2014Really good cheap authentic Mexican tacos. Don't let the sports banners fool you, they don't show games instead they had on Star Wars and wouldn't change it on request.
Humayun RashidMarch 16, 2013Beef tongue taco is so juicy and the texture is really interesting. Overly greasy a bit with the fried taco shell but still really delicious!
Leslie LaurenceMay 6, 2012Highly recommend their hibiscus margaritas. The downstairs room reserved for bottle service is really nice. You can order individual drinks at the bar and bring them to the banquette.
Omer ZachAugust 8, 2014Lamb barbacoa taco was awesome and only $3! One of the best brunch deals in the city.
Madm FiaNovember 14, 2014Love this place. Affordable, great ambiance, awesome bartenders. We watched willy wonka 3 times with Spanish subtitles. That good.
Best tacos I've had in NYC. Pork, chorizo, and salted beef are top 3. Start with some guacamole and keep the margaritas coming.
tricia okinOctober 2, 2013Love the lamb barbacoa tacos here. And the guy bartender with the really pretty eyes makes amazing margaritas and he's super nice.
Mike O'SullivanFebruary 15, 2015Awesome quesadillas, with a late 80s / early 90s LA decor. Great for a quick meal
Serious EatsMarch 19, 2013Solid tacos (including fish) and fat, juicy tortas are all good at this funky taqueria.
Alex KoplinAugust 29, 2013Hands-down the best Carnitas I've had in the city, declared by a pulled pork aficionado with a dangerous proprietary recipe of his own.
Doctore AguacateNovember 11, 2014Possibly best taco spot in town, all things considered. Carnitas and buche(tripe) both excellent.- Angela DumadagJanuary 25, 2015Love the carnitas and cactus tacos, steak quesadilla, and both chicken and tortilla soups.
Yera HaFebruary 20, 2015I dont think you can go wrong with anything at this tiny spot, but I really love the fish tacos.
The fish tacos are awesome...but so are the salted beef and pork stomach tacos. I think I might need an intervention for this addiction.
Michael TiffanyDecember 1, 2011Order take-out. Tasty food, but the music is louder than their own speakers can handle, it's so cramped the tables are comically crammed against each other, and it gets incredibly hot.
Kiki EmbryonicAugust 8, 2012Chorizo tacos are amazing, margs are delishus and the service is always fantastic. One of my favs for Mexican in NYC
Chris KisselJune 21, 2013This place is pretentiously decorated and the waitresses were all "wevs" – but the cecina and carnitas tacos were simply the best tacos I've had in NYC.
Kim MarinSeptember 3, 2013Like authentic Mexican food ? This is definitely the place to go. Get the tacos . Fish and carnitas 👌
Michael ShenFebruary 8, 2013Had the carnitas taco...o Mexican food... Why did I have to fall in love with you on the East Coast when you were right in front of me on the West?
Eric HOctober 20, 2014No tips for you...get your own! Love the tacos and beers here and I'm not sharing with you!
MischaJanuary 25, 2015Good tacos, not the best I've ever tried but decent. Contrary from what I've read lengua (tongue) is not that great, but suadero wow! Nice, is close to real Mexican style.
Spotted by Locals - city guides by localsSeptember 29, 2013Stick with the Carne asada, Pork, Barbacoa, Chorizo, or Cactus tacos with guacamole and margaritas Read more
Courtney RizzoOctober 15, 2014LES atmosphere with reasonable prices. Tasty pulled pork tacos and margaritas.
Say yes to the tortilla soup! It's so good and completely hit the spot on a chilly day.
Yan POctober 8, 2013They have an awesome menu, but of you just stick with the carnitas, you can't go wrong.- Village VoiceSeptember 27, 2013To get more bang out of your buck, order the pork tostados over the tacos.
Alexandra WoodMay 28, 2012Moment of silence for the best carnitas tacos I've ever had in my life. So juicy, so hot, so perfect.
Carnitas ($2.5) are delicious & two tacos fill you up. Round off your meal with a horchata ($2) and a huge slice of flan! ($2.5)- Behold the amazing collection of classic rock posters on the walls. Looks like my college dorm room.
You can't go wrong with a margarita with fresh squeezed lemon juice. The pork and fish tacos are also great.
Delicious & affordable food, killer margaritas, fun decor. Love this spot.
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Taqueria Lower East Side
198 Orchard St (at E Houston St)
New York, NY 10002
United States
New York, NY 10002
United States
Permanently closed (Show more)
- Mon–Thu, Sat
- Noon–Midnight
- Fri
- Noon–1:00 AM
- Sun
- 11:00 AM–Midnight
(212) 677-3910
Features
Reservations
No
Credit Cards
Yes (incl. American Express)
Wi-Fi
Yes
Outdoor Seating
No
Food & Drink
Menus
Brunch, Dinner
Drinks
Beer, Full Bar, Cocktails
See More
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"Churros con cajeta for dessert, so good! Otherwise pretty good dips & chips, great tacos. Very full bar."
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"This is a great show venue - I went to cover the Latin Alternative Music Conference and it was a great time. Their bartenders were pretty chill and their drinks were delish. Two thumbs up"
JC Earle - 8.6
"Another one of my favorite places to catch live music-and usually do dinner in the neighborhood as well.Pala is my go to fav,and its right next door !"
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